In 1988, Minneapolis-based comedian Joel Hodgson and local TV producer Jim Mallon teamed up to create Mystery Science Theater 3000, which grew from a localized Twin Cities phenomenon into one of the biggest cult-favorite TV shows of the 1990s once it went national. Despite frequent cast changes over its ten-season run on cable TV (the entire original cast, including Hodgson himself, would gradually depart the show over time) and more than a few adjustments to its narrative premise, fans flocked to what became affectionately known as “MST3K” for its forehead-slappingly simple concept: Watching, and providing a hilarious running commentary on, the worst movies ever made. And not just any old “bad” movies, either – we’re talking about sci-fi schlock complete with rubber monsters, cringeworthy rebel-teen dramas, horror movies where the production values were scarier than anything makeup and costuming could provide, really badly-dubbed Japanese monster flicks that would make the original Godzilla look like a Lucasfilm production, and old “edutainment” film reels showcasing an idealized WASPy Middle America of the 1950s. All of which were systematically deconstructed, deflated, and just generally dissed by the three wisecracking silhouettes, representing a human and his two robot pals, in the lower-right corner of your screen.

Sadly, like all good things, MST3K began to wane a bit in its last few years, finally limping to its finish line in 1999 – still a beloved series, but one that had arguably slipped a few notches in quality from its height. With the cancellation came to an end the riffing careers of Mike Nelson, Tom Servo, and Crow T. Robot, meaning that bad movies everywhere could finally rest in peace knowing the Satellite of Love crew would never train its wit on them.

Or so we thought.

As it happens, Michael J. Nelson, MST3K’s human host in its later years (as well as the show’s head writer), has come up with a new way of ensuring bad movies get the treatment they deserve. Dubbed “RiffTrax,” it is nothing less than a continuation of the “spirit” of MST3K, this time based on the premise of DVD commentary tracks.

Here’s how RiffTrax is set up. You rent or buy a DVD, then go to the RiffTrax website and download the appropriate commentary for the movie. A certain cue sound on the RiffTrack is your signal to start the movie on your DVD player. Just like that, you’re watching the film with Mike (and, often, friends), providing unique takes on the example of Le Bad Cinema you’re watching.

This approach actually has several advantages over the old-school MST3K format, the most significant of which is that they’re no longer limited to just what they can get the rights to. In the old days, the MST3K staff often came across movies that absolutely deserved to become “Bot fodder,” but the studios were demanding too much money from them for the rights. (Longtime fans undobutedly remember the gradual erosion of MST3K’s rerun catalog due to expiring movie rights, as well.) That’s not a consideration with RiffTrax, since they are distributed only as audio files – no video and no other copyrighted content is provided. You supply that, with your own DVD copy (rented or purchased) of the movie in question.

There are 44 RiffTrax at the moment, and the number is growing. The list includes such luminaries as the horrendously unwatchable Battlefield Earth, the recent and already infamous 300, bad installments of franchise films such as Star Trek: Generations and Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, the fabled Patrick Swayze vehicle Road House (long a favorite of the MST3K faithful), and the one movie everyone was waiting to see on MST3K but for various reasons they never did, the Ed Wood “masterpiece” Plan 9 from Outer Space. In addition, you’ll even find some RiffTrax for TV shows, including one for a Christmas special, of all things (Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey)! On many RiffTrax Mike is joined by his fellow Satellite of Love alumni Kevin Murphy (Servo) and/or Bill Corbett (Crow), making it very much like the Good Old Days – without Commercial Sign, yet! Other guest riffers have included Neil Patrick Harris, Fred Willard, and MST3K legends Mary Jo Pehl and Bridget Jones.

Of course, you may not think some of these movies “deserve” the RiffTrax treatment. (I, for one, actually liked the Star Wars prequels, Phantom Menace included, even understanding how much in the minority that puts me.) That, of course, is perfectly fine. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion; besides, sometimes things like this can be more fun with a movie you liked than one you didn’t, as it makes you appreciate it in a whole new light. (Plus, I freely admit no one will ever accuse me of having good taste in movies! A look through my DVD folders would reveal some truly scary titles, but I shan’t elaborate…)

Bottom line, if you’re an old MST3K fan who misses the show, are getting tired of the long periods between DVD releases of the reruns, and whose VHS collection is getting a bit worn out, RiffTrax can be just what the doctor ordered.